Time passes by.

The day has arrived for the night market to be held in Shangjing.

It’s still early, but the streets of Shangjing are bustling and lively.

Many vendors are lining up at the city gate, carrying their loads and starting to look for good stalls. There’s no curfew, and many people from outside Shangjing are also coming to join the fun, filling up the inns to capacity.

Yu Tingwan, looking bewildered, accepts all the neatly folded tally sticks, keys, and account books that Ning Suxuan handed over.

"I think...it’s a bit early."

Suddenly, she feels a bit pained.

Ning Suxuan: "You should try first."

She sets a deadline first.

"Go ahead and give it a try. Even if there are mistakes, I’ll handle them for you."

"You haven’t learned enough yet, but you have to practice personally."

Hearing her words, Yu Tingwan accepts them.

"Mother-in-law, planning to go out today?"

No surprise there.

"No."

Yu Tingwan: "Oh, you packaged everything and left it all to me, the daughter-in-law thinks mother-in-law should be quite idle."

Ning Suxuan: ...

Listen to that tone, sarcastic, is that how a daughter-in-law talks to her mother-in-law!

Yu Tingwan picked up one of the keys and gently shook it, making a crispy sound.

"Go out for a walk. Have some tea at the restaurant, take a breather in the suburbs. Staying home too long could make you sick."

Ning Suxuan knowing she wants to go out: "It’s rare not to have you bustling around under my nose, yet you still won’t let me go?"

Yu Tingwan softly: "That’s why I’ve asked someone to invite Marchioness Zhongyong over already."

She is quite close to Ning Suxuan.

Ning Suxuan: ?

Yu Tingwan continued on her own: "Carriages and arranged escorts, the Wei Family Army ensuring both ladies’ safety have all been arranged."

Ning Suxuan: ???

Just as she finished speaking, footsteps could be heard from afar, not seeing the person, but hearing the sound first.

"Suxuan, we haven’t gone out together for five or six years! Hearing your invitation made me feel so warm, and you even booked a boat trip on the lake for me, so you aren’t heartless after all!"

Marchioness Zhongyong dressed in elegant attire, so dignified.

She looks amiable, especially with her smiling face at this moment.

Marchioness Zhongyong observes that Ning Suxuan, unlike before, appears quite spirited, her face fuller, her chin less sharp.

She feels pleased inside.

"Not bad, seems like Gui Zhi is back, and your daughter-in-law knows how to take care of people. You’re really blessed!"

"There’s a long road ahead, with the younger generation being filial, you should relax, holding on tight all day, I’m tired for you."

Yu Tingwan, seeing Marchioness Zhongyong looking over, nodded seriously.

Yes.

She believes it’s all her doing.

Ning Suxuan gave her a feisty look, seeing Marchioness Zhongyong’s smiling demeanor, impossible to hide.

"Is there a happy occasion in the family?"

Marchioness Zhongyong slapped her thigh.

"Indeed!"

"I’ve been holding it in, haven’t leaked it outside! Not even a word at home, just knew you’d figure it out!"

Marchioness Zhongyong couldn’t wait for them to ask, spouting out eagerly.

"My brat returned some days ago, told me to handle his marriage as his mother. It was baffling, I thought he was babbling. Before, he showed no sign of wanting to settle down."

"But you know, he’s my only son, the accumulated betrothal gifts in the warehouse over the years were meant for him, quite a lot."

Xiao Huaian feels it’s still not enough!

"He added some more, drafted a list for me to see, all the savings he accumulated personally over the years."

Quite a bit.

Not a penny left for himself.

Marchioness Zhongyong then realized he was serious.

"With such a grand gesture, is he marrying a celestial being?"

Though she says that, her smile grows wider.

"Since he’s so attentive, I can’t drag him down, so we’re going to a jewelry shop, as a prospective mother-in-law, taking this opportunity to prepare a meeting gift."

Yu Tingwan squinted her eyes, not speaking.

Ning Suxuan inquired: "Which family’s girl is it?"

Marchioness Zhongyong paused.

Fell silent.

"These days, he’s been out early and back late, don’t know what he’s busy with, left those few words, then vanished."

Not knowing which family, that’s why... she hasn’t announced any happy news at home!

However, she knows the girl’s birth information.

The wedding date was to be checked at the temple.

It’s Xiao Huaian who memorized it.

Fearing it has been long-planned.

"Eventually, we will know."

"My requirements aren’t high, family background doesn’t matter, as long as she’s a good girl."

With the people present, Ning Suxuan couldn’t just send them back, she went to change her clothes, and under Marchioness Zhongyong’s urge, they went out together.

Yu Tingwan escorted them to the door.

Coincidentally, a carriage from the Ministry of the Imperial Household just stopped, Shen Zhiyi stepped out from the carriage.

Marchioness Zhongyong was just pulling Ning Suxuan to cross the threshold.

Shen Zhiyi glanced up and her eyes flickered. She stepped down from the footrest quickly, bowed with a curtsy.

"Good day to both madams."

Ning Suxuan didn’t speak, only nodded in acknowledgment.

Marchioness Zhongyong, feeling vibrant over the happy event, responded with a smile.

"Miss Shen."

Marchioness Zhongyong: "It won’t be long before there’s happy news in my Xiao family, you must come for a drink then."

Clearly, she can’t wait to announce it to the world.

Shen Zhiyi: "...Alright."

Marchioness Zhongyong turned to Yu Tingwan for an opinion.

Seeking her perspective.

"Your mother-in-law and I are getting old, you’re young, with tastes similar to the young lady’s. Tell me, is it better to have the adornment with high-quality pearls, or rare gems?"

Yu Tingwan asked Shen Zhiyi: "What do you think?"

Shen Zhiyi: "...Jade."

Yu Tingwan: "She’s right."

Marchioness Zhongyong made a mental note.

"I also don’t know what she likes."

Yu Tingwan: "With the weather getting warmer, why not gift a fan."

She continued asking Shen Zhiyi: "What do you think?"

Shen Zhiyi: "..."

Marchioness Zhongyong: "I don’t know much about fans either, the ones on the market..."

Yu Tingwan advised her: "It doesn’t have to be too practical, after all, it’s just for show."

She gestured to the ivory fan in Shen Zhiyi’s hand, quite exquisite, and looked heavy too.

"Ornamental."

Ning Suxuan understood. Yu Tingwan was truly hinting wildly, your future daughter-in-law is right here!

No wonder invited Shen Zhiyi for a drink, her expression had a moment of quirk.

But, a ceremonial drink is also a drink.

Next moment, Yu Tingwan leaned close to her.

"I like expensive ones."

Yu Tingwan: "Mother-in-law."

She held onto Ning Suxuan’s sleeve, speaking kindly.

"Those adornments, I don’t want pearls, jade, or gems; I want pure gold ones."

"I don’t mind the weight wearing them."

Ning Suxuan: ???

"Never said I’d buy it for you."

Yu Tingwan felt aggrieved: "Look at Marchioness Zhongyong, now look at you. Both are mother-in-laws, why is the gap so vast?"

Yu Tingwan murmured: "I’m going to make a fuss."

Ning Suxuan: ...

The whole gold shop, is that enough?